


Maybe Hope

by megankelly



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek and Erica friendship-ness, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-21
Updated: 2012-07-21
Packaged: 2017-11-10 09:29:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/464766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megankelly/pseuds/megankelly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erica and Derek are talking in the car before her post-bite debut in the Beacon Hills High School cafeteria. The mention of Stiles brings up a lot of feelings for Erica--feelings Derek quickly senses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Maybe Hope

Erica smirked at the drivers in passing cars. Yes, she, Erica Reyes, was in a super hot black Camaro with super hot Derek Hale—and oh yeah, she was super hot now too, so suck it, world.

“Erica, pay attention,” Derek said.

Even though his voice was admonishing, she couldn’t stop smiling. “Sorry, yeah?”

“Like I was saying, we’re not the only werewolves in Beacon Hills. Eventually you’ll be hearing from Scott. Probably Scott and Stiles.”

Erica gulped. “Stiles?”

“Yeah, talks a lot, sarcastic, know-it-all.”

“Is he—um, is he is a werewolf?” Without thinking, she had started twirling her hair and was reminded that it was now beautiful, silky, and curled. She thought of Stiles watching her enter the cafeteria with hair as luscious and bouncy as Lydia Martin’s.

Derek wanted to laugh at the idea of uncoordinated Stiles being a werewolf, but he was too distracted by the anxiety he sensed from Erica. She had reeked of it in the hospital--until his fangs had sunk into her hip. Then she was somebody else entirely. It was somewhat fitting, then, that this anxiety was different than pre-bite Erica’s. It was mixed with something else, maybe hope.

“No. Scott is. But of course, if Scott’s involved with something, so is Stiles.”

“Are they, um, part of our pack?” She remembered the speech Derek gave her after the bite. Pack was family. Pack was _everything_. She liked the thought of being in the same pack as Stiles. She could be around him outside of school for hours at a time. The idea made her nervous, though she didn’t know why. She was changed. She was healthy. She was beautiful. And Stiles could like her. It was possible.

“No, that’s the problem. We need Scott. And you’re going to help with that.”

“How?”

“Right now you just need to get their attention, which,” he looked at her as they pulled to a stop in front of the high school, “you will.”

“Well,” Erica said, “I guess it’s now or never.”

She checked herself out in the mirror. Her smirk faded, only to be replaced by a genuine, contented smile. Despite himself, Derek smiled too. Scott could yell at him for turning kids as much as he wanted, but that was because Scott had a good life. He didn’t understand kids like Erica. And he certainly didn’t understand Derek.

Erica reached for the car door handle, and a wave of concern washed over him. He wondered if this was normal—for an Alpha to be worried about his Betas’ emotional well-being. It felt a bit too much like vulnerability. He didn’t have time for that _ever_ , but that was especially the case when they were at war. Just this once, though, he let himself follow his big brother instinct.

“Wait. Stiles won’t be, um, a problem, will he?” He regretted it as soon as the words were out. When he had sisters, he hadn’t known how to talk to them about boys either.

“No, why would you say that?” Derek just tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “Oh, the creepy smelling-my-feelings thing again. You’re gonna teach me to do that, right?”

He smirked. “We’ll get around to it.”

“Good. And don’t worry, it’s not a big deal. It’s practically nothing.”

“You’re lying.”

Erica frowned at him.

“Your heartbeat,” he explained. “Don’t lie like that in front of Scott. He’ll probably pick up on it.”

Erica sighed. She didn’t want it to be a lie. The way she looked now, the confidence she had—Erica was sure she could have almost anyone! Why stay hung up on Stiles? It wasn’t as if he was the hottest guy ever. Not objectively, anyway.

She thought back to how Derek had touched her in the morgue. His hands on her legs. It had been equal parts thrilling and terrifying. A part of that, of course, was the fact that Derek was objectively, conclusively, definitely attractive. He could be a broody supermodel. And he had touched her.

Still, even with Derek’s hands against her skin, she had thought of Stiles. Stupid Stiles Stilinski and his perpetually open mouth and restless energy. She had wondered, for the millionth time in her life, what it would be like if Stiles was touching her. She wondered if she would feel as scared looking into his eyes as she did looking into Derek’s. Now, sitting there in front of the high school, she was wondering again, and she hated herself for it. This was her debut as the new Erica. The new Erica didn’t need to fantasize about nerdy Stiles Stilinski. The new Erica didn’t need to fantasize anymore, period. She _was_ the fantasy.

“Not planning on lying,” Erica said, “but even if I was, I think Scott might be a tiny bit distracted.” She glanced in the mirror, smacking her red lips together in satisfaction, before stepping out of the car.

Derek watched as she strutted towards the school. He knew the bite was transformative, but even he was impressed by just how different Erica was from that girl in the hospital gown and tube socks. He felt certain that she was capable of handling everything that was about to be thrown her way. Including Stiles Stilinski.


End file.
